Can opener with removable hand lever and pivotal latch

ABSTRACT

An electrically powered can opener has a cutter wheel carried on a removable hand lever. An elongate pin extending from the hand lever is inserted in a bifurcated opening in the upright can opener frame. A pivotal latch engagingly retains the pin in the upper portion of the opening while permitting the hand lever to pivot on the frame. The hand lever is removed from the frame by moving the pin to the lower portion of the frame opening thereby pivoting the latch from engagement with the pin so that the pin may be withdrawn from the frame opening. The hand lever is installed on the frame by inserting the pin in the lower portion of the frame opening and moving it to the upper portion of the opening to again pivot the latch to a position in which it retains the pin in the frame opening.

United States Patent 1191 McLean 1 Dec. 16, 1975 [75] Inventor: Robert E. McLean, Raytown, Mo.

[73] Assignee: Rival Manufacturing Company,

Kansas City, Mo.

[22] Filed: Mar. 21, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 453,256

Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Assistant ExaminerGary L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or FirmLowe, Kokjer, Kircher ABSTRACT An electrically powered can opener has a cutter wheel carried on a removable hand lever. An elongate pin extending from the hand lever is inserted in a bifurcated opening in the upright can opener frame. A pivotal latch engagingly retains the pin in the upper portion of the opening while permitting the hand lever to pivot on the frame. The hand lever is removed from the frame by moving the pin to the lower portion of the frame opening thereby pivoting the latch from engagement with the pin so that the pin may be withdrawn from thefframe opening. The hand lever is in stalled on the frame by inserting the pin in the lower portion of the frame opening and moving it to the upper portion of the opening to again pivot the latch to a position in which it retains the pin in the frame opening.

5- Claims, 8 Drawing Figures [52] US. Cl. 30/4 R; 16/171 [51] Int. Cl. B67B 7/38 [58] Field of Search 30/4 R, 8, 8.5, 9, 14, 30/14.5,15;16/171, 172

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I 1,392,561 10/1921 Duffy 16/169 2,497,337 2/1950 Ackerman 16/172 3,508,331 4/1970 Scott 30/4 R 3,654,698 4/1972 Scott et a1 30/4 R 3,670,410 6/1972 McLean 30/4 R 3,688,398 9/1972 Aberer 30/4 R IO a US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 CAN OPENER WITH REMOVABLE HAND LEVER AND PIVOTAL LATCH BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to power can openers having removable hand levers which carry the cutting ele ments.

The desirability of providing a removable hand lever to carry the cutting element of a power can opener is pointed out in the Scott US. Pat. No. 3,520,056, entitled Removable Hand Lever Construction, which issued on July 14, 1970, and which is owned by the same assignee as the instant application. As is noted in the Scott patent, permanently affixed cutting elements are difficult to clean, while a removable hand lever permits the attached cutting element to be easily and thoroughly washed of accumulated food particles. Existing removable levers are held in operating position by various types of latch mechanisms, most of which are rather complex and therefore costly to construct. Moreover, most existing can opener structures either require that the hand lever be oriented in a particular rotative position for installation and removal from the frame, or that a push button or similar device be manipulated to permit installation and removal of the lever.

The present invention utilizes a novel latch member which releasably engages and retains the hand lever assembly on the can opener frame, yet permits the lever to freely pivot between operating positions. A significant feature of the invention disclosed herein is that the latch may be pivoted to permit detachment of the hand lever from the frameby merely moving the elongate pin assembly of the lever in a selected direction. A spring washer is utilized to bias the latch against unintentionally pivoting from its latching position, while the orientation of the bifurcated frame opening which receives the pin assembly assures that the operating thrust on the pin assembly is exerted in a proper direction to securely retain the pin assembly in the opening during operation of the can opener.

A principal object of this invention is to provide, in a power can opener of the type having a cutting element carried on a pivotal hand lever, a unique latch member of simplified construction and low production cost to releasably retain the hand lever on the frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hand lever and latch of the character described which cooperate in an improved manner to permit the hand lever to be readily installed on and removed from the frame. As suggested above, the lever need not be rotated into any particular position to be installed or removed, nor must a push button or the like be manipulated during the installation or removal process.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can opener construction in which the hand lever and latch are prevented from becoming unintentionally disengaged and in which the force exerted during operation of the can opener acts to retain the lever in its movably locked position on the can opener frame.

Other and further objects of this invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of 2 with, and in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the upper portion of a power operated can opener having a removable hand lever constructed in accordance with the invention, the broken lines illustrating the hand lever pivoted to its can receiving position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the upper left hand portion of the front can opener frame panel of a first embodiment of the invention, with the hand lever removed therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the front can opener frame panel shown in FIG. 2, with the pivotal latch member shown in the release position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevational view similar to that of FIG. 3, but with the pivotal latch member shown in the latching position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the upper left hand portion of the front can opener frame panel of a second embodiment of the invention, with the hand lever removed therefrom;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the front can opener frame panel shown in FIG. 6, with the pivotal latch member shown in the release position; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational view similar to that of FIG. 7, but with the pivotal latch member shown in the latching position.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the upright body or frame of a typical electrically powered can opener is generally designated by reference numeral 10. The principal portion of the frame shown in the various views is the upright front panel 10a, which is secured to and cooperates with an open front box-like casing 10b to provide support for various operative components of the can opener.

A serrated or toothed rotary can feed wheel 12 is operatively located on the forward side of front frame panel 10a. Feed wheel 12 is driven by a shaft 14, which extends from the feed wheel rearwardly through front panel 10a and is rotatably supported in a suitable bearinged aperture in an embossed portion of panel 10a. The rearward end of shaft 14 connects centrally to a large gear 16. A conventional electric motor (not shown) drives gear 16 through suitable reduction gearing to rotate feed wheel 12 in a normal manner.

A can piercing hand lever 18 located forwardly of front frame panel 10a and above feed wheel 12 is pivotally movable between various positions, as the broken line illustration of FIG. 1 indicates. Hand lever 18 seats rearwardly upon a pair of generally rectangular bosses 19 and 20 which extend forwardly from panel 10a at spaced positions and which have bearing surfaces to facilitate the pivotal motion of lever 18. A cutter wheel 22 is carried on lever 18 and movable therewith toward and away from feed wheel 12. Cutter wheel 22 is mounted obliquely on the forward surface of lever 18 for free rotation on the usual stud or arbor anchored to an embossed portion 18a of lever 18. A screw 23 holds cutter wheel 22 on the arbor.

Hand lever 18 is rigidly secured to an elongate pin assembly which extends through a suitably sized aperture in the lower left hand portion of the lever (see FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 5, the forwardly extending portion of the pin assembly includes a cylindrical rod-like projection 24 which functions as a can guide. The rearwardly extending portion of the pin assembly includes a circular flange suitable spaced a short distance rearwardly from lever 18 by a plurality of shim washers 26. A nut 27 is threaded onto the can guide portion 24 and against the forward surface of the lever to cooperate with flange 25 in securing the pin assembly in the proper location on lever 18.

The rearwardly extending portion of the pin assembly includes a generally shaft-like pin member 24a having an annular groove 24b in its inward portion and tenninating rearwardly in a tapered end portion 240. Pin member 24a is rotatably positional within a generally arcuately shaped, bifurcated opening 28 to pivotally mount hand lever 18 on the frame about the axis of the pin member. As seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, opening 28 extends through front frame panel 10a in an oblique orientation and includes an upper portion 28a and a lower portion 28b, which are sized to permit transverse movement of the inserted pin member 24a therebetween. The forward surface of front frame panel 10a includes a slightly recessed portion 29, which surrounds opening 28 to receive and accommodate movement of flange 25.

A pivotal latch member 30 comprising a thin, irregularly shaped plate which serves to releasably lock the lever assembly in operative position has a circular aperture extending through its upper or body portion. To pivotally mount latch 30 on the rear surface of the front frame panel, its aperture is fitted over a cylindrical boss 31 extending rearwardly from the inward surface of front frame panel 10a and the latch is positioned flush with the rear surface of the frame panel. As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of flat, circular washers 32 are positioned over the boss and adjacent latch 30, while a curved spring washer 33 exerts forward pressure on washers 32 to yieldably urge the latch into engagement with the surface of frame panel 10a and thereby bias the latch against movement. To secure the latch and washers on boss 31, a screw 34 is threaded centrally into the boss with a flat, circular retaining member 35 holding spring washer 33 in forward engagement with washers 32. It is noted that boss 31 (about which latch 30 pivots) is located closer to upper opening portion 28a than to lower opening portion 28b. A pair of small cylindrical bosses 37 and 38 extend rearwardly from frame panel 10a at spaced positions to limit the pivotal movement of latch 30 by engagement therewith when a limiting position in either direction is reached.

As suggested above, the distance from the can piercing hand lever to the rear side of annular groove 24b may be set at any selected dimension before assembly by inserting an appropriate number of shim washers 26 between the lever and flange 25 and then tightening nut 27. Alternatively, the proper operative spacing between lever 18 and latch 30 may be accomplished by interposing the shim washers between latch 30 and the adjacent surface of frame panel 10a.

The body portion of latch member 30 has a substantially semicircular notch 30a formed centrally in its lower end portion. The latch also includes a pair of integral wing portions 30b, which extend downwardly on either side of notch 30a and are bent slightly rearwardly from the body portion of the latch. As shown in FIG. 4, when pin member 24a is positioned in the upper portion 28a of opening 28, the portion of latch 30 surrounding notch 30a fits into annular groove 24b and engages the pin member within the groove to preclude the separation of the pin member from opening 28,

while permitting the pin member to rotate within the opening. Conversely, as FIG. 3 illustrates, when pin member 24a is positioned in the lower opening portion 28b (farther from the pivot axis of latch 30), notch 30a is separated from groove 24b and the pin member may be withdrawn forwardly from opening 28 to detach hand lever 18 from the front frame panel.

The second embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated in FIGS. 6-8, differs from the first embodiment only in that opening 28 is of elliptical shape and vertical orientation, and latch member 30 (and the boss 31 to which it is pivotally mounted) is located in a slightly different position on frame panel 10a so as to cooperate with the modified opening 28. As in the first embodiment, the positioning of pin member 24a in the upper opening portion 28a as shown in FIG. 8 causes engagement between the notched portion of the latch and the grooved portion of the pin member to preclude detachment of lever 18 from the frame, while permitting the lever to pivot on the front frame panel. As further shown in FIG. 7, when pin member 24a is positioned in the lower opening portion 28b, the pin member and latch are disengaged and the lever may be detached from the frame by withdrawing the pin member from opening 28.

In operation, the two embodiments function in a similar manner. As previously described, when can piercing lever 18 is installed on the frame in operating position, pin member 24a is located in the upper opening portion 28a, where latch 30 is in its latching position to lock the pin member in the opening while allowing it to rotate therein. When it is desired to remove lever 18 from the frame for cleaning or other purposes, the application of a small amount of force upon the lever in a suitable direction (downwardly and to the left as viewed in FIG. 4, straight downwardly as viewed in FIG. 8) moves the attached pin member against the wing portion 30b of the latch. As the pin member is thus moved to lower opening portion 28b, the force exerted on the wing portion pivots the latch from the latching position to the release position of FIG. 3 or 7, wherein the pin member is separated from the latch and may be withdrawn from lower opening portion 28b.

To reinstall the lever assembly on the frame, pin member 24a is fully inserted in the lower opening portion 28b and lever 18 is manipulated in the appropriate direction (upwardly and to the right as viewed in FIG. 3, straight upwardly as viewed in FIG. 7) to move the pin member toward upper opening portion 28a. As the pin member moves to the upper portion of opening 28, the force thereby exerted upon the wing portion of the latch pivots the latch to the latching position of FIG. 4 or 8 wherein the lever is again pivotally supported on the frame in operating position by engagement of the notched portion of that latch within groove 24b of the pin member. It can be seen that the removal and installation processes are facilitated by noting that lever 18 need not be oriented in any particular rotational position for it to be readily removed or installed.

Since the biasing force of spring washer 33 continuously urges latch 30 toward the rear surface of the front frame panel, the unintentional movement of the latch from its normal latching position is prevented, whereas the spring washer yields to properly applied force to permit movement of the latch to its release position. It is significant to note that when the can opener is operated to sever the lid of a can having its rim disposed on feed wheel 12, hand lever 18 is pivoted downwardly to force cutter wheel 22 into engagement with the can lid. Accordingly, the force exerted on pin member 24a as the can opener operates is applied about a fulcrum located at the lower edge of the cutter wheel and the operating thrust on the pin member is therefore exerted in an upward direction. Because the locked or operating position of pin member 24a is in the upper portion 28a of the frame opening, it becomes apparent that the upward force of the operating thrust acts to retain it therein and prevents it from inadvertently moving to the lower opening portion during operation of the can opener.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a can opener having an upright frame, a rotary feed wheel, and means for rotating said feed wheel, the combination therewith of:

a hand lever carrying a cutting element thereon;

means defining an opening in one of said hand lever and said frame;

a pin member extending from the other of said hand lever and said frame, said pin member being axially insertable in said opening to mount said hand lever on said frame for pivotal movement about the axis of the pin member and said pin member being axially removable from said opening to detach said hand lever from said frame; and

a latch member supported on one of said hand lever and said frame for pivotal movement between a latching position wherein said pin member is engagingly retained in said opening by said latch member to preclude detachment of said hand lever from said frame and a release position wherein said pin member is axially removable from said opening to permit detachment of said hand lever from said frame, said pin member being selectively movable in said opening transversely thereof to engagingly pivot said latch member between said latching and release positions.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, including means for yieldably biasing said latch member against movement when same is in either said latching or release position.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pin member has an annular groove formed therein and said latch member includes a notched portion, said notched portion being engaged within said groove when said latch member is in the latching position and separated from said groove when said latch member is in the release position.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said latch member includes a pair of wing portions adjacent said notched portion, said pin member being operable to engage said wing portions to pivot said latch member between said latching and release positions.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said latch member is supported on said frame;

said opening is defined in said frame and includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the pivot axis of said latch member being located nearer said upper portion than said lower portion; and

said pin member extends from said hand lever, said latch member retaining said pin member in said upper opening portion when in the latching position, said pin member being selectively movable to said lower opening portion to engagingly pivot said latch member to the release position. 

1. In a can opener having an upright frame, a rotary feed wheel, and means for rotating said feed wheel, the combination therewith of: a hand lever carrying a cutting element thereon; means defining an opening in one of said hand lever and said frame; a pin member extending from the other of said hand lever and said frame, said pin member being axially insertable in said opening to mount said hand lever on said frame for pivotal movement about the axis of the pin member and said pin member being axially removable from said opening to detach said hand lever from said frame; and a latch member supported on one of said hand lever and said frame for pivotal movement between a latching position wherein said pin member is engagingly retained in said opening by said latch member to preclude detachment of said hand lever from said frame and a release position wherein said pin member is axially removable from said opening to permit detachment of said hand lever from said frame, said pin member being selectively movable in said opening transversely thereof to engagingly pivot said latch member between said latching and release positions.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, including means for yeildably biasing said latch member against movement when same is in either said latching or release position.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pin member has an annular groove formed therein and said latch member includes a notched portion, said notched portion being engaged within said groove when said latch member is in the latching position and separated from said groove when said latch member is in the release position.
 4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said latch member includes a pair of wing portions adjacent said notched portion, said pin member being operable to engage said wing portions to pivot said latch member between said latching and release positions.
 5. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said latch member is supported on said frame; said opening is defined in said frame and includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the pivot axis of said latch member being located nearer said upper portion than said lower portion; and said pin member extends from said hand lever, said latch member retaining said pin member in said upper opening portion when in the latching position, said pin member being selectively movable to said lower opening portion to engagingly pivot said latch member to the release position. 